Time Commitment:5 days per week, subject to negotiation by the Secretary of State

The Certification Officer (CO) has always played an important role in the UK’s industrial relations landscape and is responsible for ensuring that trade unions and employer associations are always held accountable to their members. The Certification Officer also has the authority to investigate alleged breaches of trade union law and certify the independence of trade unions.

As a result of a recent change in trade union law, the role is currently being reformed to modernise its operations and bring it in line with a modern system for industrial relations.

The responsibilities of the Certification Officer

The UK Government is looking to appoint a new CO to continue this work and navigate the Certification Office through an important time when it will exercise greater investigatory powers into potential breaches of trade union law and subsequently issue financial penalties where they are deemed necessary.

The successful candidate will carry out the following:

The Administrative functions include the maintenance of lists of trade unions and employers’ associations and the production of an annual report;

The investigative functions include the appointment of inspectors to examine possible financial irregularities by trade unions and employers’ associations. These investigative functions have been substantially increased as a result of the Trade Union Act 2016;

The regulatory functions include approving union mergers and the rules whereby unions hold political fund ballots;

The quasi-judicial functions include determining complaints by trade union members about certain breaches of trade union statute and rules. In considering complaints, the CO can hold formal hearings. The CO has the power to issue enforcement orders and as a result of the Trade Union Act 2016, the office-holder can also impose financial penalties or conditional financial penalties; and

To introduce and charge a levy on trade unions and employer associations to recover the partial costs of performing the CO’s functions.

The Certification Officer will be appointed for a single term of 5 years, renewable once only at the discretion of the Secretary of State.

For more information about the role click on Visit Website where you will be directed to an external site to apply.